1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining a number of data transmissions. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining a number of data transmissions to transmit data in a sensor network.
2. Description of Related Art
A sensor network includes sensor nodes and cluster nodes. The sensor nodes may sense a temperature, humidity, an illumination intensity, and the like, and the cluster nodes may receive data from the sensor nodes and transmit the data to another node. A cluster node comprises communications components and a processing unit to communicate with other nodes. A sensor node is similar to a cluster node but also comprises a sensing component.
In this instance, when data is transmitted between the sensor nodes, the sensor network may include only the sensor nodes.
A conventional sensor node transmits sensed data to a cluster node at predetermined transmission periods. Also, the cluster node receives data from sensor nodes and the other cluster nodes and transmits the received data to another cluster node at predetermined transmission periods.
The sensor node and the cluster node utilize a battery as a power source. Accordingly, in the sensor node and the cluster node, it is vitally important to extend a battery duration time.
However, in the conventional sensor node and the cluster node, the data transmission is performed at predetermined transmission periods regardless of periodicity and similarity of data to be transmitted. Accordingly, unnecessary data transmission may occur and power may thereby be unnecessarily consumed.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus for reducing a number of unnecessary data transmissions and thereby reducing power consumption in a sensor network.